FOREST SECTOR AND ENPI FLEG PROGRAM IN GEORGIA

Chisinau 2010

GENERAL INFORMATION

All forests and forest land is state property.

• Total area of forest land – 3 005 300 ha• Area covered by forest – 2 772 400 ha (about 40% of country territory)

• Mountainous forest – 98 %• Lowland forest– 2%

Total annual increment – 4,6-4,8 mln. m3

Average annual increment per ha – 1,8 m3

Main species of Georgian forests

Total Area / ha Wood reserves / 1,000 m3

Coniferous 365297 105417.0

Leafy 1 887 189 2 78860.6

Species Forest Lands Wood stock

ha % of total 1,000 m3 % of total

Beech 1 087 728 47.0 210 045 54.4

Fir 168 589 7.3 67 220 17.4

Spruce 100 170 4.3 27 434 7.1

Pine 91 886 4.0 10 995 2.8

Other species 1324027 37.4 70 712 18.3

Forestry sector management

Ministry of Environment Protection and Natural Resources• Forestry Agency• Agency of Protected Areas

Natural Recourses Departments of Autonomous Republics of Adjara and Abkhazia

Local Self Governing Authorities

Church Forests

Territorial bodies: regional body divisions

1. Kakheti

2. Kvemo Kartli

3. Shida Kartli

4. Mtcketa-Mtianeti

5. Imereti

6. Samtkhe Javakheti

7. Guria

8. Racha-Lechkhumi

9. Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti

FORESTRY AGENCY

Forestry Department

Increased functions and additional income;

Various forest usage types

Formation of forest inventory system, creation of common information net and data base;

Definition of state forest territory borders

Conduction of forest protection activities;

Development of National FLEG Process in Georgia

St.Petersburg Declaration (2005) and Indicative List of Actions;

FLEG Principles have been incorporated in the National Forest Legislation;

ENPI FLEG Program started in Georgia;

FLEG issues are high priority for the newly established Forest Agency.

ENPI FLEG Program in Georgia The main objectives

To contribute establishing legal and sustainable forest management practices, strengthening the rule of law and enhancing local livelihoods

The ENPI FLEG Program is funded by the European Union.The three implementing partners of the

program in Georgia are the World Bank, WWF and IUCN

National program advisory Committee (NPAC)

NPAC was created for overall guiding the development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities in Georgia.

NPAC consists of head of Forestry Department (focal point, chairman), Head of Environmental Inspectorate, Head of Environmental Investigation Department, Three representatives from different NGO’s, Representative of private wood processing company, Director of Forest Research Institute, and Representative of EC in Georgia.

Country work plan includes four sets of activities:

Raising awareness on FLEG, public involvement in decision making and strengthening communication capacities of key institutions;

Increasing national ownership and improving FLEG planning and monitoring by national institutions;

Training and capacity building of decision makers and specialists from stakeholder authorities for improved forest governance and law enforcement;

Regional/cross country collaboration and knowledge sharing .

Ongoing activities:

An assessment of Georgian legislation on verification of wood source origin was conducted;

Training of forest inventory specialists was completed;

A study on the economic and social impact of unsustainable forest practices in Georgia will be completed next month;

An assessment of current practices of forest management

will be completed in July;

National sustainable forest management standard is being discussed and promoted;

Ongoing activities:

FLEG awareness activities are ongoing: National FLEG website created and regularly updated, quarterly electronic newsletters disseminated via serve lists and leaflets printed and distributed;

Media monitoring is ongoing, journalists database has been created, trainings in environmental civil journalism are conducted;

Planned activities:

Review of the Current and Proposed Forest Institutional Changes in Georgia with reference to the impact on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance;

Strengthening of capacity of the local communities for revenue collection from utilization of timber and non-timber forest products in a sustainable manner;

Development of indicators and methodology for assessment of illegal logging and forest crime;

Awareness raising campaigns within the private sector, promoting the adoption of Responsible Purchasing Policies;

Planned activities:

Development of training modules and conducting trainings for forestry personnel, environmental protection inspection and environmental crime investigation department of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural resources of Georgia;

Regional workshop on voluntary forest certification and capacity building activities for improved custom procedure, better traceability (wood tracking systems) and monitoring;

A regional workshop on transboundary timber flow is planned for the autumn 2010;

Awareness raising campaigns within the private sector, promoting the adoption of Responsible Purchasing Policies ;

Regional activities:

FLEG Conference, seminars, workshops, (7 participating countries + observer countries)

Comparative legal analyses and comparison of forestry practices

Joint study on the social and economical impacts of illegal logging on rural population

Joint trainings of forest practitioners, educators, legal professions

Regional activities:

FLEG awareness review in the region

Regional website and information/knowledge sharing platforms

Joint trainings for journalists and regional media contests

www.enpi-fleg.ge

www.enpi-fleg.org

www.moe.gov.ge

Thank you!